Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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INTERLOCKING DECK SUPPORT SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to intermediate deck structures fox use in
transport vehicles such as trucks and trailer vans, railway cars, freight
containers
and the like, and more particularly, to an interlocking deck support system
for use
in such vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
to In a typical truck van, a horizontal bed or floor is provided for
supporting articles being transported. Articles are placed on this bed, and
depending upon the size of the articles, they may be stacked upon each other
at two
or more levels.
W some instances, it may be impractical to stack the articles due to
the weight or configuration. Where this is the case, a substantial amount of
the
vehicle interior is rendered unusable. For example, where the articles or
containers
are fragile, damage to the articles will occur if stacked to the extent that
the weight
of the upper articles would damage lower articles. In those instances, it is
often
necessary to avoid stacking or to minimize the amount of stacking.
2o Some articles are also somewhat difficult to handle due to their
weight and configuration. This creates problems for the individuals loading
the
articles on a bed. Thus, even if articles at a lower level will not be damaged
when
other articles are stacked thereon, stacking itself may be quite cumbersome
and
inefficient due to the size and weight of the articles.
Attempts have been made to address some of these problems by
incorporating intermediate decks in vehicles. Various types of collapsible or
removable intermediate deck structures have been proposed for supporting
freight
articles of various shapes and weights above the horizontal bed or floor of a
transport van, and the like, in order to increase the load carrying ability of
a van
and to maximize the use of the available cubic capacity of a van. The use of
collapsible or removable intermediate decks has not met with wide success,
however, due to inefficiencies in the design of the decks which make them too
complex, too expensive for practical purposes or simply too inconvenient to
use.
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The design of existing intermediate deck structures often consist of
two deck panels, hinge mounted on opposing walls to enable storage of the deck
panels vertically against the side walls. The deck panels rotate downwardly or
upwardly on the hinges to a horizontal position to form a continuous section
of
deck, or secondary floor. Typically, this form requires a means of supporting
the
deck halves horizontally in a manner which both encroaches on additional
usable
volume for loading the freight or cargo, and interferes with that space
requiring
extra effort and time to load around it. Such supports include cantilever
support
structures, suspension chains or cables or even vertical support Iegs
extending to
the primary floor.
For example, United States Patent No. 3,911,832 to Vandergriff
discloses an intermediate deck structure for use in railway cars, truck and
trailer
vans. The deck structure includes a first section pivotally connected at its
outer
end to the side wall of a vehicle, and adapted to be pivoted between a stored
position adjacent the side wall and a horizontal position with its inner end
extending inwardly from the side wall. A second section of the Vandergriff
intermediate deck has a pair of arms extended from its inner end which are
pivotally connected to the first section at a point between the inner and
outer ends.
The second section of the intermediate deck is adapted to be stored adjacent
the
2o side wall of the vehicle below the first section of the intermediate deck
in a
position extending downwardly from the outer end of the stored first section.
The
second section is adapted to be pivoted relative to the first section during
pivoting
of the first section to a horizontal loading position, whereby the second
section can
also be moved to a horizontal loading position with the outer end of the
second
section supported by a pair of load brackets engaged with a load rail on the
opposite side wall of the vehicle.
A problem encountered with the intermediate declc structure of
Vandergriff is that the individual declc structures do not lock together when
the two
deck sections are stored against the side wall of the vehicle, and the Ioad
bracket
on the second section extends downwardly to a position where it can interfere
with
and damage cargo and boxes sitting on the main floor of the vehicle. A further
problem with the Vandergriff deck is that the load brackets employed in the
intermediate deck structure are subj ect to jumping out of the wall load track
rail
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slots, causing the load brackets to retract under a load on the deck, and
dropping
the load onto the cargo positioned underneath the intermediate deck.
United States Patent No. 5,452,972 to Adams discloses a deck
structure for use in supporting cargo at an intermediate level above the floor
or bed
of a trailer van. The Adams intermediate deck includes a first deck section
pivotally mounted on a side wall of a trailer van and movable to a horizontal
load
position, and back up to a vertical stored position against the side wall.
Adams
employs a complex spring slam bolt and release chain system engaged with a
height saving angle locking rail to releaseably hold the deck section. A
second
io section of the deck is pivotally connected to the first section and it is
also movable
between a horizontal load position and a vertical stored position against the
side
wall. When the second section is in the vertical stored position it is hanging
from
the first section and is configured such that it nests in the first deck
section to
provide a storing intermediate deck structure. When the first and second deck
sections are in a horizontal load position, the second section has an outer
end
which is selectively provided with either the spring biased, telescopically
mounted
load bracket, or a cap style load bracket, that is operatively seated on a
load track
rail on the trailer van wall opposite to the wall on which the first deck
section is
hinged. Although the intermediate deck structure of Adams addresses some of
the
2o problems of Vandergriff, in doing so it employs complex chain and spring
systems
that increase the expense of the intermediate deck structure and enhance the
risk of
injury to the operator of the system. Also, like Vandergriff, Adams fails to
address
the problem of the lack of structure to lock individual deck structures
together.
United States Patent No. 3,875,871 to Thorton discloses a freight
carrier such as a railroad car having sections which, unlike the structures in
Vandergriff or Adams, fold from opposite walls toward one another from a
stored
position to an operational position. In the installed position the sections
provide a
supplementary cargo level. According to Thorton, in this position the sections
have joining means which self support the load and transmit lading shearing
and
3o bending moments between the sections so that additional supports from the
floor
are not required. The deck sections of the Thorton carrier are provided with
flanges or blocks for supporting the sections when they are unfolded and for
providing a resting space for subsequently lowered sections. Thorton also
describes permanent support areas positioned at one end of the freight car
designed
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to provide a resting area for the first lowered panels. The patent describes
these
rest areas as a bracket or ledge mounted on the rear wall of the Garner by
suitable
fasteners or welding.
Although Thorton seemingly overcomes many of the problems of
Vandergriff and the complexities of Adams, it requires welding structures or
fasteners to the interior portion of the carrier to do so. Moreover, although
Thorton
provides flanges or blocks for supporting subsequent sections, the panels
described
in Thorton are vulnerable to sag under heavier loads due to inadequate
support.
Moreover, the flanges or blocks of Thorton subject the panels to interference
with
l0 one another and, like Vandergriff and Adams, do not interlock the panels
together
in the operational position.
Consequently, there is a need for a system for supporting articles
more efficiently fox transportation purposes. In particular, there is a need
for such
a support system that is of a highly efficient design whereby the deck can be
15 economically installed in a vehicle, each individual intermediate deck can
be
adequately supported and locked together with other intermediate decks, and
the
system can be efficiently operated by a single user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
20 These and other objects and advantages are met by the present
invention which includes a deck support system for supporting cargo in a
vehicle
freight compartment having spaced apart side walls.
The deck support system includes at least one pair of deck panels
mounted opposite one another on the side walls, which are capable of movement
25 between an upright position and a deployed position. Each of the respective
deck
panels have an end pivotably mounted to the side wall and a free end. When the
deck panels are in the deployed position they at least partially define a
secondary
platform of the vehicle freight compartment when the free ends are adj acent
to one
another in the deployed position. The deck support system also includes one or
30 more anchors mounted to each of the side walls of the freight compartment
to
secure the deck panels to the side walls in the upright position.
The system includes a support bracket that removably engages the
deck panels adjacent the free ends when the deck panels are in the deployed
position. In one embodiment, the support bracket removably engages the deck
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panels along a side edge of each panel. The support bracket interlocks the
pair of
deployed deck panels and provides a support ledge for other deck panels. The
bracket
has an elongated body, which preferably has a rectangular cross section and
defines a
longitudinal axis. The elongated body has a first side and a second side with
a
longitudinally extending channel defined in the first side, which is shaped
for
removable engagement with the pair of deck panels. The elongated body also has
a
longitudinally extending support ledge defined in its second side. The
longitudinally
extending channel of the bracket interlocks the deployed deck panels and the
longitudinally extending support ledge is capable of providing support to
further pairs
of deployed deck panels.
In one embodiment, the longitudinally extending channel slidably
engages the deployed deck panels and is capable of linear movement
perpendicular to
the mating faces of the deployed deck panels. In another embodiment, the first
side of
the elongated body of the bracket is pivotably secured to one of the deck
panels of the
pair and the longitudinally extending channel pivotably engages the deployed
deck
panels.
In a preferred embodiment, the deck support system also includes a
horizontal starter panel secured at the front of the freight compartment
between the
side walls and adjacent at least one pair of the deployed deck panels. In this
embodiment, a support bracket is secured to the starter panel to support a
pair of
deployed deck panels adjacent the starter panel.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a deck support system for supporting cargo in a freight compartment
having
spaced apart side walls comprising: at least one pair of deck panels mounted
opposite
one another on the side walls and capable of movement between an upright
position
and a deployed position, each respective deck panel having a free end and an
end
pivotably mounted to one of the side walls, wherein said deck panels at least
partially
define a platform when said free ends are adjacent to one another in the
deployed
position; and a support bracket removably engaging said deck panels adjacent
said
free ends when said deck panels are in the deployed position, said bracket
interlocking
said pair of deployed deck panels and providing a support ledge for other said
deck
panels.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a support bracket for use with deck panels mounted to the side walls
in a
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cargo freight compartment in a deck support system, the bracket comprising: an
elongated body defining a longitudinal axis and comprising: a first side; a
second
side; a longitudinally extending channel defined in said first side and shaped
for
removable engagement with one pair of said deck panels; and a longitudinally
extending support ledge defined in said second side; wherein said channel is
capable
of interlocking one or more deployed deck panels, and wherein said support
ledge is
capable of providing support to adjacent deployed deck panels.
Advantageously, the deck support system of the present invention
supports articles more efficiently than prior art systems for transporting
purposes. In
particular, the deck support system is lightweight and is of highly efficient
design
whereby the deck can be economically installed in a vehicle, each individual
intermediate deck is adequately supported and can be locked together with
other
decks, and the system can be efficiently operated by a single user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Some of the advantages of the present invention have been stated,
others will appear as the description proceeds, when considered in conjunction
with
Sa
the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, in which:
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Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially cutaway, of the rearward
portion of a truck trailer including an embodiment of the deck support system
in
accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the interior forward portion of the
truck trailer shown in Figure 1 including an embodiment of the deck support
system;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a support bracket of the deck
support system;
Figure 4 is a side view of a support bracket slidably secured to a
to deck panel;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the secured support bracket of Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a plan view of a support bracket pivotably secured to a
deck panel;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the interior forward portion of the
15 truck trailer demonstrating a horizontal starter panel and a support
braclcet of the
deck support system;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the interior forward portion of the
truck trailer demonstrating placement of a deck panel of the deck support
system;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the interior forward portion of the
20 truck trailer demonstrating placement of a support bracket over the deck
panel
shown in Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the interior forward portion of the
truck trailer demonstrating placement of a deck panel of the deck support
system;
and
25 Figure 11 is a perspective view of the interior forward portion of the
truck trailer demonstrating the deck support system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter
30 with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments
of
the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many
different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set
forth
herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be
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thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to
those
skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Refernng to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1-11 illustrate a
deck support system, indicated generally at 10 in Figure 1, installed on a
truck
trailer 12. The truck trailer 12 is enclosed by side walls 14, a roof 16 and a
floor
18. While the illustrated embodiment and the following description describe
the
deck support system of the present invention in conjunction with a truck
trailer, the
deck support system need not be used in conjunction with a truck trailer, but
can
instead be used in conjunction with various types of freight transport
vehicles or
to devices such as railway cars, airplanes or transport containers.
As best shown in Figure 2, the deck support system 10 generally
includes at least one pair of deck panels 20 and 21 mounted opposite one
another
on the side walls 14 of truck trailer 12. The pair of declc panels 20 and 21
are
mounted on the side walls 14 by one or more anchors mounted to each of the
side
15 walls. hi one embodiment, these anchors are horizontal rails 22 that
generally run
the length of truck trailer 12. The deck panels 20 and 21 are maintained in
their
upright position by locks (not shown) provided on the walls 14 of the truck
trailer
12. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the deck panels 20 and 21 are fitted with
notched
mounting brackets 23 that axe designed to hook over horizontal rails 22. In
this
2o way, the deck panels 20 and 21 may rotate about horizontal rails 22 between
a
stored upright position and an extended horizontal deployed position, both as
shown in Figure 2. The deck panels 20 and 21 have free ends 20a and 21a,
respectively. When the declc panels 20 and 21 are deployed and their
respective
free ends 20a and 21a are adjacent, the deck panels 20 and 21 at least
partially
25 define a platform in truclc trailer 12 above the floor 18.
The deck support system 10 also includes a support bracket 24,
which is preferably removably mounted between each pair of extended deck
panels
20 and 21 to both interlock the pairs of deck panels 20 and 21 together and
provide
support to the pairs of deck panels 20 and 21. As shown in Figure 3, the
30 interlocking support bracket 24 has an elongated body and preferably is of
a
rectangular cross section. The support bracket 24 includes a first side 26
defining a
longitudinally extended channel 28. The support bracket 24 also includes a
second
side 30 defining a longitudinally extending support ledge 32.
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In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the longitudinally extending
channel 28 has an upper lip 29 and a lower lip 31. The lips 29 and 31
preferably
extend the length of channel 28. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the
longitudinally
extending channel 28 of support bracket 24 preferably engages the edge of deck
panels 20 and 21 by virtue of the upper lip 29 and the lower lip 31. The upper
lip
29 and the lower lip 31 engage a series of grooves in deck panels 20 and 21.
In
particular, the deck panel 20 includes an upper groove 33a and a lower groove
33b, and the deck panel 21 includes an upper groove 35a and a lower groove
35b.
In order to removably and slidably engage the deck panels 20 and 21, the upper
lip
l0 29 of support bracket 24 engages upper groove 33a of panel 20 and upper
groove
35a of panel 21. Similarly, the lower lip 31 of support bracket 24 engages
lower
groove 33b of panel 20 and lower groove 35b of panel 21. By engaging the deck
panels 20 and 21 in this way, the support bracket 24 is capable of linear
travel
across the faces of deck panels 20 and 21 when the deck panels are deployed.
At
15 the same time, the longitudinally extending channel 28 of the support
bracket 24
interlocks the deployed deck panels 20 and 21 and the longitudinally extending
support ledge 32 provides support to further pairs of adjacent deployed deck
panels
20' and 21' as shown in Figure 11. The grooves 35a, 35b are at least as long
as the
support bracket 24, so that the bracket 24 can be stored with the deck panel
21
2o without protruding past its free end 21a.
Refernng to Figures 7 through 11, a secondary platform in truck
trailer 12 may be constructed using the above described embodiment of the deck
support system 10 by first securing a starter panel 36 to the horizontal rails
22
between the vertical walls 14 and against the forward part of truck trailer 12
as
25 shown in Figure 7. Although in this embodiment the starter panel 36 is
secured
against the forward part of the truck trailer 12, one of ordinary skill in the
art will
understand that starter panel 36 may be installed at any location in the
trailer 12
where the user desires to start building a secondary platform within the truck
trailer
12. Preferably, starter panel 36 is a continuous shelf that extends between
the
30 vertical walls 14.
A bracket 38 may next be secured to starter panel 36 so that support
ledge 32 provides a way to support subsequent deployed deck panels 20 and 21.
The first bracket 38 is preferably rigidly secured to starter panel 36, but
alternatively may be slidably secured thereon such as by a lip and groove
design.
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As shown in Figure 8, after the bracket 38 is in place the deck panel 21 is
rotated
from its upright position against wall 14 to its deployed position, resting on
the
bracket 38. In the alternative, a simple flange may be attached to the forward
trailer wall to support the first pair of deck panels to provide the same
function as
support ledge 32.
Next, as shown in Figure 9, a support bracket 24 is slid over the
deck panel 21 to prepare for the horizontal deployment of the deck panel 20 on
the
opposite side wall of truck trailer 12. The support bracket 24 may either
stored
somewhere on the trailer and be slid over the deck panel 21 (as described) or
may
to be included on the deck panel 21 while the deck panel 21 is in its upright
position.
As shown in Figure 10, the support bracket 24 is slid onto the deck panel 21
out of
the way of the deck panel 20, and then the deck panel 20 is deployed to its
horizontal position. The support bracket 24 is then slid back until it engages
both
declc panel 20 and deck panel 21. The support bracket 24 engages the deck
panels
15 20 and 21 by virtue of the engagement of upper lip 29 and lower lip 31 on
the
support bracket 24 with the upper groove 33a and lower groove 33b of deck
panel
20, and the upper groove 35a and lower groove 35b of deck panel 21.
As shown in Figure 5, preferably the upper grooves 35a, 35b of
deck panel 21 are longer than upper grooves 33a, 33b of deck panel 20. Because
20 of this, the support bracket 24 can travel further onto deck panel 21 and
completely
out of the way of the deck panel 20. On the other hand, when the support
bracket
24 engages the deck panel 20, preferably it may only travel far enough to
provide
complete engagement between the deck panel 20 and the deck panel 21. Thus,
after the deck panel 20 is deployed, the support bracket 24 is slid back onto
the
25 deck panel 20 so that it slidably engages both deck panels 20 and 21 and
locks
them together. This process is repeated, as demonstrated in Figure 11, until
the
desired number of deck panels are extended from their vertical position so
that a
sufficient amount of secondary platform space is created in truck trailer 12
for the
storage of articles.
30 In another embodiment of the deck support system, shown in Figure
6, the support bracket 24 does not include an upper lip 29 and lower lip 31
and the
deck panels 20 and 21 do not include a series of grooves. Instead, the support
bracket 24 includes only a longitudinally extending channel 28 and a
longitudinally
extending support ledge 32. In this embodiment, support bracket 24 is
rotatably
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secured to one of the two deck panels 20 and 21 of the pair. This may be done,
for
example, by a pivot pin 34 secured through the first side 26 of support
bracket 24.
The support bracket 24 can be rotated into position to interlock the deck
panels 20
and 21 when the deck panels 20 and 21 are deployed to the horizontal position,
thereby providing the interlocking and support for the deck panels 20 and 21.
In this embodiment, a secondary platform in truck trailer 12 may be
constructed using the deck support system 10 by first securing a starter panel
36 to
the horizontal rails 22 between the vertical walls 14 and against the forward
part of
truck trailer 12 as shown in Figure 7. Again, preferably, starter panel 36 is
a
to continuous shelf that extends between the walls 14. A bracket 38 may next
be
secured to starter panel 36 so that support ledge 32 provides a way to support
subsequent deployed deck panels 20 and 21. After the bracket 38 is in place,
the
deck panel 21 is rotated from its upright position against wall 14, with the
support
bracket 24 pivotably secured to the panel 21, to its deployed position,
resting on
15 the bracket 38.
The support bracket 24 is rotated out of the way of the path of
rotation of the deck panel 20 to prepare for the horizontal deployment of the
deck
panel 20. The deck panel 20 is then deployed to its horizontal position and
the
support bracket 24 is rotated into position, as demonstrated in Figure 6, so
that it
2o engages both the deck panel 20 and the deck panel 21 and provides a support
ledge
for subsequently deployed deck panels. Again, this process is repeated until
the
desired number of deck panels are extended from their vertical position so
that a
sufficient amount of secondary floor space is created in truck trailer 12 for
the
storage of articles.
25 Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will
come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains having
the
benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the
associated
drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be
limited to
the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other
embodiments
3o are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
Although
specific terms are employed herein, they are used ima generic and descriptive
sense only and not for the purposes of limitation.
